Anchorage to Seward transfer the night before

[#1packerfan]

Hi all, we are doing an 8 day DIY land tour before our Millenium cruise next Sept and I want to return our rental car in Anchorage in the afternoon the day before our cruise and get down to Seward and spend the night there so we can do something before we get on the ship.

 

What is our best option? The train schedule does not work and most of the shuttles are the day of the cruise. Are we best off doing uber or something like that? Any recommendations? We most likely will not rent from Hertz so won't be an option to just return the rental in Seward.

 

Thanks in advance. I can't believe after having to put this trip off for 13 yrs for one reason or another, my DH will finally get his bucket list trip in less than a year!!

[mapleleaves]

The Park Connecton Bus has a 3pm departure to seward.

ACT bus leaves at 2:30, Seward Buslines leaves at 2.

 

Seward is about 125 miles from anchorage, so even an uber/lyfft would be pricey for a 2 1/2 hr journey. Compare the cost of uber to seward to a one-way Hertz.

 

Maybe you'll just need to tweak your itinerary so that your car can be returned earlier than planned ......

[#1packerfan]

The Park Connecton Bus has a 3pm departure to seward.

ACT bus leaves at 2:30, Seward Buslines leaves at 2.

 

Seward is about 125 miles from anchorage, so even an uber/lyfft would be pricey for a 2 1/2 hr journey. Compare the cost of uber to seward to a one-way Hertz.

 

Maybe you'll just need to tweak your itinerary so that your car can be returned earlier than planned ......

 

That 3 pm bus would probably work perfectly! We can pretty much plan to turn the car back in at any point that last day. Most of our land trip and sight seeing will be done ahead of this. We will basically just be driving back to Anchorage on Thursday morning and we are early risers so can be on the road as early as necessary to get back to make the bus schedules.

 

Since we are spending a couple of days in Anchorage when we first fly in, I really wanted to spend the night in Seward before the cruise so we can do something that morning ahead of the cruise so I think one of those bus schedules will work. That was about the only think I did not have nailed down yet if we do not rent from Hertz.

 

Thank you!

[mapleleaves]

Keep in mind that the bus leaves from the Anchorage Museum at 3pm.

 

http://www.alaskacoach.com/schedule/Park-Connection-Schedule-Rates.pdf

[Budget Queen]

Keep in mind that the bus leaves from the Anchorage Museum at 3pm.

 

http://www.alaskacoach.com/schedule/Park-Connection-Schedule-Rates.pdf

 

 

I'd suggest, if you have an airport rental return, you plan on being there by 2pm and if traveling from a distance, adding an hour at least,being conservative in the transit time. Construction is a given in Alaska, and 2 lane roads aren't freeways. :) I know, with my RV trip this year, several renters did not comply with with 5 car rule causing slow back ups for miles. There is "traffic" and sometimes passing is challenging anyway.

 

Better to be early than trying to make up time you won't be successful doing .

[#1packerfan]

I'd suggest, if you have an airport rental return, you plan on being there by 2pm and if traveling from a distance, adding an hour at least,being conservative in the transit time. Construction is a given in Alaska, and 2 lane roads aren't freeways. :) I know, with my RV trip this year, several renters did not comply with with 5 car rule causing slow back ups for miles. There is "traffic" and sometimes passing is challenging anyway.

 

Better to be early than trying to make up time you won't be successful doing .

 

For sure! My hubby is a semi driver by trade so is used to traffic backups and driving. Some of the bus schedules look like they only run on cruise days. Do you know if they run every day?

[mapleleaves]

The Park to Park leg shown in the schedule i posted earlier is daily, however their service ends in mid sept.

Since you're travelling so late in the season, you'll need to be mindful of closure dates. After mid sept, lots of things start closing down.

[Budget Queen]

For sure! My hubby is a semi driver by trade so is used to traffic backups and driving. Some of the bus schedules look like they only run on cruise days. Do you know if they run every day?

 

It's very limited - with daily service in full season. Most do not operate outside of cruise ship days.

[#1packerfan]

Thanks everyone. One way or another, I will figure out transportation. There have been so many recommendations of things to do in Seward I really want to spend the day there before getting on the ship so we will make it work even if we just rent a car for the trip from Anchorage to Seward that day.

 

Now that I can actually start booking things, it is becoming more real. I booked our lodging up by Denali and in Talkeetna. We have to wait just a couple more weeks for the hotels to open up the bookings for Anchorage, Seward and Fairbanks. And in another couple of months, we will be able to book air. I like getting everything possible done early.